The following story contains major spoilers from Sunday’s Dexter season finale, so steer clear if you have yet to watch the episode. Everyone else, read on…

Though the reviews of this season’s Dexter have been mixed, there’s one thing nobody’s debating: the impact of the one-two punch the Showtime hit delivered in Sunday’s finale.

Not only did Deb admit that she was into her adoptive brother, but she also got a good look at his “dark passenger.”

Will the series really “go there” with the semi-siblings? Can they, now that she knows his secret? To find out, TVLine rang up exec producer Scott Buck…

TVLINE | Was Deb developing romantic feelings for Dexter always part of the show’s grand plan?
It was something we realized very early on. It was not necessarily a plan, but it was something we all felt was in the DNA of that character. It just sort of made sense when we started to examine why she was the way she was. It wasn’t necessarily something we were always working towards, but when we examined it it seemed — at least on some sort of subconscious level — like that’s the direction it had always been going.

TVLINE | Was there a debate in the writers room about whether to go there? You must’ve known it would be controversial.
It came up several years ago. We thought about it, then dismissed it, but it would always come up again year after year after year. So it just felt like there was this big story there that we were denying.

TVLINE | And why now?
It just seemed so inevitable. There was no particular reason why this year, except that it felt like we had been ignoring it.

TVLINE | The fact that Deb knows Dexter’s secret — well, part of his secret. She only saw him kill one person. And one murder does not a serial killer make.
Correct. [But] Deb has absolutely without a doubt seen Dexter commit a ritual kill. We’re not teasing the audience or jerking the audience around.

TVLINE | Deb came close to discovering Dex’s “dark passenger” in the Season 5 finale. Why not pull the trigger on it then as opposed to postponing it for another season?
I wasn’t running the show at the time so I didn’t have the opportunity to pull the trigger. But again, it was because of things like that that it felt like we had teased the audience to a point that was not quite right anymore. It felt like time to be more honest with the situation.

TVLINE | The episode hinted at the possible departure of Desmond Harrington’s Quinn. Will he be back?
Yes, absolutely.

TVLINE | Do you pay attention to what critics are saying and writing?
I’ve seen some but not all.

TVLINE | So it probably doesn’t come as a shock that it was a polarizing season. I wanted to throw out some of the bigger criticisms. First off, many felt Travis (Colin Hanks) wasn’t a scary enough villain. He seemed almost cartoonish at times. How do you respond to that?
We never meant for him to be cartoonish. We meant for him to be complicated in a way so that you might have mixed feelings for him. You would generally feel sympathy or empathy for this man before fully realizing who he was. And once you do realize who he was, does that really make the issue that much different? Is he really that much more in control then if Professor Gellar had been real.

TVLINE | Do you feel like your villains are doomed to disappoint after Trinity (John Lithgow)?
I don’t feel that way. Obviously, John was fantastic and set a very high standard for us. But there are all kinds of villains out there. They don’t need to all be scary in the same way.

TVLINE | There were a fair number of viewers that saw the Gellar twist coming. Was that ever a concern?
I really wasn’t that concerned, because if people guessed the twist, it really wasn’t the major arc of the season. Dexter has always been a show much more about character. It was always more interesting to see how this revelation affects Dexter, rather then, “Oh, I guessed it.” It didn’t seem that important an idea that it had to be so completely hidden from the audience.

TVLINE | Finally, the reaction to a possible Deb-Dexter romance seems more negative than positive. There’s a genuine ick factor there. Will that impact how far you take the storyline in the final two seasons?
No. I’m not aware that there’s an ick factor, but that’s certainly not going to affect where we go with that story.

TVLINE | Safe to say Season 7 will pick up right where Season 6 left off?
I think we’ll most likely be picking up exactly where we left off, or somewhere close to there.

Ok maybe it was just me but the part of this whole seasons I felt creeped out by is the therapist relationship with Deb. I am not a therapist but I would think a professional therapist would have major issues with how her counseling was portrayed. I mean Deb had a totally dependent needy and extremely unhealthy relationship with her. Deb actually got worse the more time she spent in counseling. I still think LaGuerta is in the mix on thiis.

OK this is just a wild guess but I sure hope they don’t go the lesbo angle with the therapist and Deb and or LaGuerta. I would stop watching the show then. Don’t know why but that would just creep me out. Plus way to soapyish.

this season dexter disappointed me….initially, i thought it was the ‘john lithgow’ effect…. but over the episodes, the season lacked the punch and left miami metro incompetent to make dexter succeed…plus deb and dex were not themseleves, and the villian was just a one episode variety….hope next season will be more fun…

On a side note, nothing in the character development I notice ever indicated that there was any budding relationship beyond that of siblings (the exception being that they got married in real life, which would show through as some chemistry). I think that coupled with Dexter’s sexcapades this season shows lazy story telling, and writers running out of ideas.

While its true this season was not the best and had much more potential, the fact remains it was very entertaining still. To me season 4 was the best followed by 2,1,3,6 and then ,5. Though 5 was a little boring, yet strangely still captivating, the show is obviously no on a straight decline. I have high hopes for 7 and 8, expect Louis to slowly develop into what perhaps maybe Dexter’s greatest foe. All in all dexter is still a awesomely entertaining program… NUFF SAID

Season 6 was as good as it had to be. Anyone who thinks they
“jumped the shark” after trinity is fooling themselves. IMHO, the writers have done a very good job at minimizing holes in the plots and keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. I find it intresting how the try to humanize Dexter, the self proclaimed monster. The Deb/Dexter story line, again my opinion, was added to show the constant turmoil Deb lives in when it comes to the men in her life and how they are constantly disappoint her…from her Dad and his affairs, Brian the ice truck killer, the Chief of police getting fired after asking her for help and now Dexter. Yes, it provides an ick factor that I believe was erased the minute Deb saw Dexter plunge the knife into Travis’s chest. What will be intresting is how the story goes from here, with Season 8 already green lit, what will Deb do with her latest discovery? She can’t turn in her brother, obviously seasons 7 & 8 can’t be the trial and execution of Dexter…does she allow Dexter to continue to kill? Become his assistant?…does she learn the code of Harry? Does she become as manipulative as LaGuerta? There are endless possibilities as to where the writers can take us…enjoy the off season…

even though i have predicted some of the twists in this season, it kept me in love with the show the whole season long. I loved Mos Def and Colin Hanks. Hanks might have seemed “cartoonish” as some claimed, but you have to consider the fact that in order for there to be a schizophrenia existing that causes him to hallucinate Geller like Dex hallucinates his dad, he has to be a certain level of loony. Once it came out that he was behind everything as I started to suspect early on, it made sense that he was portrayed as such. This show has been a blessing and a breath of fresh air. It will continue to be such unless it gets to the point where the story starts going places that don’t make sense. It’s due time for Deb to catch Dex in action. I always sensed an extra chemistry there, but attributed it to the fact that they’re married in real life and the chemistry just can’t be erased. Between Dexter, Walking Dead, and American Horror, this fall has been my all time favorite TV season ever. Granted, I did like other dexter seasons possibly slightly more, I am not putting this season down or saying it was lacking. I miss Reba… mostly cuz she is HOTTTT, but everything that this show has done to stay fresh has kept me hooked. Thank you to the creators for making the most enjoyable and original concept I’ve seen in a long time. Until recently, when walking dead and american horror story came out, Dexter was by far untouched and at the top of the food chain. It hasn’t moved down, I just found two other shows of similar calibers to entertain myself with in the same sick and twisted kind of fashions. Michael C. Hall is one of my favorite actors of all time, and possibly my favorite TV actor of all time. Deb is so perfect for her roll. Everything about the show has just been lovely. I think it is inevitable at some point in time, whether Deb is hunting Dex or not, there will be a showdown between Miami Metro Homicide and the bay harbor butcher. I just hope dexter can stay on the air as long as possible without getting too predictable, too corny, or too far out there that things are just not jiving. I think there are at least a good 3 seasons worth of material that can be explored without doing any of the things I don’t want it to. I am not going to lie though. Sometime, Dexter needs to come to a series finale. Serial Killers can only kill for so long without being caught (or can they?). It only makes sense that eventually the star will have all of his coworkers working night and day to break his identity again. I think Deb will lose the reigns and either Batista or the new Chicago detective will head up homicide. I am just throwing a guess out there, don’t hold me to it.

Who cares about the Deb loving Dexter? Their not blood and in real life Deb and Dexter are married!!! So who cares? I just wonder whats going to happen in season 7 is she gonna let him go or arrest him? Also whats up Louis is he serial killer or just gay for Dexter?

Being in love with someone who is not blood related to you is not incest it’s definitely freaking inappropriate and deserves the letters WTF? There are 2 more seasons left, what ever happens happens there is nothing anyone can do about it if you don’t like where it’s leading then don’t watch it no amount of agreeing or disagreeing will ever change the fact that the writers went there she’s inlove with her brother it’s done let’s hope she gets over it if the writers don’t come to there senses then at least there are some seasons of Dexter that aren’t let downs.

Who cares if shes inlove with him! Her feelings for him are clearly out the window considering the fact she just walked in on him committing a murder.
I’m more interested in what will happen next, will she arrest hi? Will she side with him? When will Deb put the pieces together and find out Dexter is also the BHB. There are 2 more season’s left will Dexter finally meet someone who accepts him for who he is? Lumen was the closest one then she changed her mind after she got closure from murdering the people responsible for ruining her life. Will Dexter die at the end? So many things the writer’s must answer within the last 24 episodes. Hopefully it won’t end like The Sopranos.

where is a few ways they could play this out. dexter could say that this was his only murder,and that he only did it because his son had been kidnapped by hanks.
or he could come clean and she could accept it because she has deep feelings for him(like in the books)
OR he could run over to her jab 1 of the needles in her neck & give her drugs to make her forget..
or just kill her! lol
what do you think?

The whole 6th season was rushed, like they wanted to put every episode in a box from the beginning, yo end it fast , like the writers were on edge, like someone else was trying to interfere in their work, put a pressure on them. my bf is a writer for movies, so believe me i know the kind of pressure these people have to handle. mostly they think about their writings like art, but then u have greedy producers who only see things with a dollar in front of their eyes. why do you think they chose a subject like “THE DOOMSDAY KILLER” ? because that’s what everybosdy talks about those days in the world. 2012, the end of the world, 666, ecetera . There’s no REAL subject, only ideas to make us watch. and i think they missed the mark by focusing too much on the same characters. in the previous seasons they were other killings, other cases except for the major one. I think the hole thing went to fast. I’m a little bit disapointed , also i don’t get the deb-dexter love story. it’s desperate if it’s supposed to keep up our interest. we love dexter, no need to go that far to keep us hooked!!!

Ben-
You mention – Why bother with serial-killer obsessed intern boy? It just seemed so random and didn’t seem to add anything to the series.

My thought is that he was a device used to place the hand. Travis left the hand, from ITK on the fridge possibly for deb to see. My prediction for season 7 is deb will think that dex was in league with ITK trinity etc

Evidence

-deb saw dex kill Travis with the whole plastic wrap set up

-she was in the same set up when ITK mimicked dex in season 1

-dex went to Nebraska to see Jonah

-after rita dies in season 4 dex says to deb it was me

I think deb will suspect that Dexter was involved in the three serial killers who effected her the most ITK DDK TK

I enjoy the conversation, but I am continually amazed that formal publications of conversations such as this contain either spelling or grammatical errors. An example is the following sentence. It was always more interesting to see how this revelation affects Dexter, rather then, “Oh, I guessed it.” The sentence should read as rather than instead of rather then. Disappointing that TVLINE can’t master simple grammar when it is a communication publication/website.

I would have to say that the whole Dex/Deb thing is brilliant; of course people are going to say that is disgusting or icky. But look at how much talk that it is getting and think of the amount of viewers they are going to get to watch (along with new ones from all the talk and controversy) in October when the new season comes out to see what happens. The writers have got the reaction they were looking for. I don’t believe that they will continue the story line in that they actually start a relationship, but unless Dexter kills Deb first thing in the next season (doubt it) it will be what keeps Dex out of jail, or at least until the end when Louis “the Intern” kills Deb at the end of next season. (Well that is my prediction anyway)

You are right, some people seems to get very involved in there opinion, good for them, but sometimes a bit too much.
But I feel a bit unconfortable about something : where the hel* did you guys see dexter saison finale?!? Cause I only bought until S5, and never saw it on tv.

also ! I’m so astonished about this deb in love wth dxter, I couldn’t help to spoil myself.

@Mike: Go to sidereel.com and search for Dexter. There are links for every episode. Make sure the title of the episode matches the title that appears after the credits, however, so you know you’re watching the correct episode. Sometimes people mix them up.

Lol, to be honest, despite what critic says, I found this season the best one. After the huge fall with the fifth, it was really surprising.
About the pointing out of Debra’s love, it was something I thought about from the first season, that has had its own good development and coming to light in a very nice way.
In the end, I am really happy about the storyline this season has followed.

id also like to add that this entire series has been awesome no let-downs ever!!! its funny i started out hating this show coz everyone else liked it but i warched an episode and got sucked in!!! love it KEEP IT COMMING……any eposodes that i dislike are on account of the good character devolopment i dont dislike an episode because of an actor or writer or director but becasue i dont want that peticular character doing a certain thing!! this show ROCKS!!!! i cant belive i have to wait till october!!!!! that the ONLY LET-DOWN…TEN MONTHS!!!!!!”Light Cannont Exist Without Darkness”

collin hanks is a good actor in comedies. I kept wondering is this doomsday killer a joke, the acting was horrid. Collin hanks just did not fit the role or maybe his role is just erm not gripping enough. I also dislike the whole deb falling for dex. Dexter is more drama now. Have to agree season 5 was bad season 6 was bad too, but the intern looks intriguing. I knew something was up when he kept glancing Dexters way. Im glad Deb found Dex but thought the whole plot in the discovery would be more gripping, dark and solid.

I would like to know about photos taken of dexter and lumen dumping garbage bags at sea in the night taken by the ex cop which ended up in Quinn’s bedside table. this scene was from series 5 episode (around 9,10 or 11). dexter and lumen were in quinn’s apartment discovered the photos and dexter decided to put them back in the bedside table drawer. doesn’t quinn ever look in his bedside table drawer? wtf

While the writing has taken a hit in recent seasons, the complaints are oh so very ironic considering the fact he kills people. I honestly don’t see the tangent going anywhere romantically, but might push her over the proverbial edge everything else considered. I hope not.

Besides, incest hasn’t even happened and would take some really forced writing for it to happen. Let’s hope they don’t do that.

Don’t you people have anything else to do than insulting each other because of a TV show? It’s a show for christs sale and you get on each others throats as if it would be real life. Season 6 wasn’t my favorite one, yes, but hey, you don’t always get what you want….

Something a lot of people seem to forget: Deb let Dexter (the vigilante) and Lumen (girl number 13) go at the end of season 5. Why? Because things for her aren’t all black and white. This makes her feelings for Dexter not outside her character at all. Also, this makes her acceptance of Dexter’s actions believable, regardless of whether she “loves” him or not. I think she’ll see it as a gray situation and see other sides to it besides the need to “turn him in”. Remember, she LET TWO PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH MURDERING JORDAN CHASE BECAUSE SHE COULD UNDERSTAND IT…

Thanks, s., for saying exactly what I was thinking. If people hate the show so much, they should stop watching. It’s not for everyone. And to those who clearly hate the show so much: Why do you feel the need to rag on it and the people involved? Is it THAT important to you? It’s time to move on and become adults, and find something else you DO enjoy.

I really actually love that the writers push boundaries. Infact when u think about it the entire concept of the show pushes boundaries, which in part is what makes it so great! I thought this season was excellent as it went so much deeper into Dexter as a person, his morality and beliefs(or struggles with figuring out what he believes. Honestly I don’t see the extreme ‘ick’ feeling that so many ppl have regarding a possible deb/dex romance. They are not actually related! In fact dexter was at least 4 when he was taken in by the Morgans. In fact I agree with the writer when he said that it’s seemed kind of obvious that would happen. I mean they have been through a lot together and nothing about either of their pasts are normal. Remember in season 1 at the very beginning when Dexter was exposing he doesn’t reaping feel emotions towards anyone and if he did it would be for deb…

i dont think louis will be a bad guy in the next season, but its not for me to decide. he wants dexters approval, not information of how he can piss him off. he knows more about dexter than dexter does of him, so if he wanted to be dexters enemy he would have already made it so. he wants to learn from him, or he wants to be approved by him for some reason. personally, i think louis might be realted to dexter via rudy. possibly dexters nephew, and rudy son somehow. and i felt season 6 was a little disappointing, but it didnt stop me from enjoying it. personally, i think season 7 will be much better because it could probably only go uphill from ssn 6. plus i hope they bring lumen back.

I’m not sure if someone mentioned it before, cause I haven’t read through all the stuff, but there’s one thing bothering me about season six and that is the cut-off hand from the ice-truck-killer-case. In season one there was no full hand, it was only the painted fingertips frozen in an ice-block. But the rest of the season made total sense to me and made me want more of Dexter. I mean c’mon guys, we all knew that no one could top trinity as a killer.

What I forgot to mention is, that I read through a few comments whining about the controversals, but that’s what makes this show. And in this season it was about religion and maybe a little incest. First you see the good side of religion and then it turns more and more to show the bad side with ddk. IMHO it was a good season.

So one intern steals and sells the hand, and the one that bought it magically works there as an intern now? For some reason I feel their partners in crime. I highly doubt Dexter has the same feelings as Deb, and Deb is always emotionally messed up, so I really doubt she is in love with him. I have this slight gut feeling that the therapist is also somehow bad, and seems like she’s brainwashing Deb. For all I know it’s a trio of enemies that know something is up with the Morgans. I think it’s gonna be an interesting next 2 seasons. I enjoyed season 6 though it did start out a bit slow. Loved the whole religious second guessing for Dexter that seemed to be the whole point of the season. Season 5 was my least favorite of them all, too lovey dovey for me, though Chase’s I wanna bite your face motion near the end was creepy enough for me to not hate it. I’m really not to worried about the “incest” involvement. Doesn’t ick me because their actors and shows like Rome had incest before this show, so kinda seen it already. Louis’s story is what I’m more interested in and seeing more of Batistas sister, but more nude :0 :0. Read the the Dexter books, Deb finds out what he is in the first one, but not until season 6 for the show. It should be good. If your so butt hurt with the show, then watch something else, simple. What do ya get out of complaining?

I think that debs lust or whatever her needs are in dexter will extinguish because the door of truth has opened the mystic of dexter is no longer there. She will be closer to him because she sees who and why he is. So the “in love” will turn into just a deep exhaled understanding and bring a bond stronger then romance.

Brilliant season… Some people have put comments mentioning a lot of plot holes but interviews have stated that there will be a story arc into the final season. I think they have been extremely creative and smart with this season and have left it on an astounding note for what’s to come next.I think the villain was great… Yeah he might not have been as scary as previous characters but surely that’s the whole point… It gives you mixed views about him and the fact is that he did all the killings because he thought he was followijng the word of God not because he solely enojoyed the kills. I thought it was really good with the direction they took it as well as the acting, not to mention that it was visually stunning.I also loved the comeback of Rudy! Great season and I cannot wait for the next.If people don’t have anything good to say why say anything at all? It just looks a little petty getting angry with people because they don’t share the same opinion.

Okay, it seems that a lot of people are paying mor attention to the dexter/deb situation, when there is only a couple paying attention to Louise Greene (the creepy assistant) he will obviously be a huge part of season 7 and 8. It seems that when he mensioned the game, he said ” the bay harbor butcher” really weird like he knew that dexter was the BHB. Louise happens to be very obsessed with dexter, and is shattered when dexter doesn’t like his idea for his game. A couple episodes later, he skeches a palm on the ITK hand, and mails it to dexter. Now this may sound weird but do Louise remind you of Brian, because they are both boney and they both have black hair. And not to mension they both have a weird obsession with dexter. Is it possible that Louise is Brians son, because Brian was around his early 40s, yes I know it’s farfeched but it’s still possible